schaduw

Forms

schaduw f (plural schaduwen, diminutive schaduwtje n)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch schaduwe beside the more common schade, inherited from Old Dutch skado, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *skadu, inherited from Proto-Germanic *skadwa-.^[2][1][3][4] The modern form comes from the inflected cases: Old Dutch ⟨skado⟩ and Middle Dutch ⟨schade⟩ continue the regular nominative, which also spread to the other cases, so Middle Dutch had two forms, each with a regular paradigm of its own.^[2][5] ⟨Schade⟩ was mainly Brabantish, and only ⟨schaduw⟩ survived in the standard language; ⟨schad⟩ still lives in the Zaan dialect.^[2][6][5]

The same word is Old Saxon skado, Old High German scato (modern German Schatten), Old English sceadu (modern English shade and English shadow), West Frisian skaad and Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌳𐌿𐍃 (skadus).^[2][3] With an unexplained double consonant, Norwegian Nynorsk skodde (“mist”) belongs here as well.^[2][3]

The further origin is uncertain.^[2] The word is probably related to Ancient Greek σκότος (skótos, “darkness”) and Old Irish scáth (“shadow, protection”), from a root Proto-Indo-European *skot- “darkness, shadow”.^[2][3][4] Kroonen reconstructs *skh₃-tu-.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century, an scado fetheracco thinro sal ik gitruon means “in the shadow of your wings I shall take refuge”.^[2][7] Around 1100 an Egmond text has ich saz under sinemo scada, “I sat in his shade”, and uses the word for the darkness of night.^[7]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch schade meant shade and a cast shadow: Limburg glosses of 1240 render Latin umbra, and a West Flemish text of 1285 tells how Peter healed the sick with his shadow.^[8][2] It also meant a reflection in water (1270, 1287) and, after the Bible, the darkness of die scade der doot “the shadow of death”.^[8] The form scaduwe appears in the 14th century, of a figure staring at his shadow in the water.^[2] The shadow stood for what passes quickly and for what is unreal.^[6] The Early Modern Dutch phrase een schaduw van t'rechte wesen, “a shadow of true being”, dates from 1604.^[2]

Later phrases include tegen zijn eigen schaduw vechten “to fight an imaginary opponent” (1617) and iemand in de schaduw stellen, to outshine someone (1865).^[9][10] The verb schaduwen “to follow someone unnoticed”, from which schaduw “person who shadows” comes, is an anglicism after English shadow.^[4][11] The word was borrowed into Negerhollands as skat and shadyw, and into Sranan Tongo as skadu and skadri “shade”.^[12]

Timeline

• 901–1000 – Old Dutch scado “shadow” appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^[2][7]
• c. 1100 – Scada is used of shade and of the darkness of night.^[7]
• 1240 – Middle Dutch schade glosses Latin umbra.^[2][8]
• 1285 – A West Flemish text tells of healing by Peter's shadow.^[8]
• 1300 – The form schaduw is first dated by Van der Sijs 2001; the EWN places it in 1300–1350.^[13][2]
• 1604 – Een schaduw van t'rechte wesen.^[2]
• 1617 – Tegens syne eygene schaduwe vecht “fights against his own shadow”.^[9]
• 1865 – In de schaduw gesteld “outshone” is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. shade: the part of a space where light is blocked.^[11][1]
2. A shadow, the dark shape an object casts on the ground or a background.^[11][1]
3. A dark area in a drawing, giving depth; shading.^[11]
4. A person who tails someone.^[11]

Word family

• schaduwen
• beschaduwen
• overschaduwen
• slagschaduw
• halfschaduw
• kernschaduw
• oogschaduw
• schaduwkabinet
• schaduwrijk
• schaduwzijde
• nachtschade

Related words

• English shadow
• German Schatten

Usage notes

Middle Dutch schade “shadow” was spelled like schade “damage”, a different word.^[6] Niet in iemands schaduw kunnen staan means not to bear comparison with someone.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
3. ^ a b c d e Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
6. ^ a b c Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
7. ^ a b c d Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
8. ^ a b c d Pijnenburg, W. J. J., et al. (2001), Vroegmiddelnederlands woordenboek: woordenboek van het Nederlands van de dertiende eeuw in hoofdzaak op basis van het Corpus-Gysseling, Leiden: Instituut voor Nederlandse Lexicologie; gtb.ivdnt.org
9. ^ a b c Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
10. ^ a b Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
11. ^ a b c d e Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
12. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen